Card sorting device



June 16, 1953 J. H. PAGE cm SORTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Au 3, 1949 7 i6 Inga/@2501 Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFICE CARD VSORTYING DEVICE John H. Page; Muskegon, 'Mich., assignor to The Shaw-Walker Company, Muskegon, Mich., a

corporation of Michigan 7 Application August 3, 1949,'Serial No. 108,331 1 Claim (01. 129-16.,1)

This invention relates to card sorting devices employing cards which are notched or perforated on theiredges.

More particularly, the invention relates to sorting devices of the kind broadly disclosed in United States Patent 1,544,172, wherein the 'cards .are punched with a plurality of perforations adjacent their edges,.and the cards are then classified by notching, slotting or cutting away the material between one or more perforations and the edge of the card, thus forming a pattern of notches relating to a single classification. It is common practice to sort such cards by jogging them into alignment in some kind of a tray and then passing one or more sorting needles through the various perforations. Lifting the needle or needles will carry with it such cards as have not been notched at that particular hole through which a needle is passed.

The principal object of the invention is to facilitate the sorting of notched cards by reducing the physical effort now required by present sorting devices.

- A further object is to provide a device which readily enables a large number of cards to be sorted at one time.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the following description proceeds;

The inventionmay best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the device with cards and a needle in place ready for sorting;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a single card of the kind used in the sorting device, shown in Figure l;

Figure'3 is a transverse section of the device 7 shown in Figure l, with one ofthe supporting blocks removed for sorting the cards thereon;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the manner in which the supporting block may be returned to initial position for ejecting sorted cards from the device;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the device with the cards omitted.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspectiveview showing a modified form of card punching in which the cards have a plurality of rows of holes and the upper edges of thesorting tray would be provided both with notches and one or more 7 additional rowsof holes, for selective positioning of one or more sorting needles;

Figure 7 is a side view of a modified form of sorting device;

Figure 8 is an end view of the modified form of device shown in Figure '7.

Referring now to details of the embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 5, both inclusive, the device consists of a material tray, indicated generally at 5, generally U-shaped in cross-section, with an upright front wall 6 and upright rear wall 1 and a bottom wall 8. The bottom wall 8 and reduced front and rear wall portions 9, 9 project toward one end of the device to form an extended guide for a plurality of similar blocks [5, in side-by-side relation and independently slidable along the bottom wall 8.

Intermediate the top and bottom edges of the side walls II and I2 is a cross bar l8, extending between and connected to said front and rear walls. The upperedges of the front and rear walls are provided with a plurality of notches 20, in predetermined spaced relationshipv with eachother to correspond with certain holes and notches formed in the cards 2|, which are to be sorted.

Corner portions of the upright walls 6 and l' are cut away to form L-shaped steps.22, 22 above the cross bar [8; to facilitate the handling of the cards. g

A plurality of stops |6,. i6 project upwardly from the bottom wall l3 into elongated slots l1 formed in the bottom faces of the blocks [5 so as to-limit the'movement of each of said blocks from the closed, card supporting position, shown in Figures land 4, to the open non-card supporting position, shown in Figure 3.

Q One of the cards is-shown in Figure .2. It is provided, as usual, with a series of alignedholes "23, 23 along its upper edge, some of which holes are cut away or notched, asindicated at 2 3; The

holes and notches are variously arranged on difing'notches on the tray walls ll, I2.

The modified form of card sorting device, shown in Figure 6, is designed for use when the cards, as indicated at =30, have a plurality of rows of holes, indicated at and 32. In this case, the upper edges of the upright walls 33 and 34 of the sorting tray are provided both with a row of notches 35 and with an additional row of holes 36 therebelow, in registering relation respectively with the rows of holes 3| and 32 of the card 36.

cards, one or more blocks 40 and 4| are suitably fixed with respect to the tray, as for instance, by fastening screws 42, 43 passing through the base 8a of the tray. The blocks 40.a nd 4| .-,extend in,

a direction parallel with the walls 60, and la and are spaced laterally from each other to form an open pocket 45 between their adjacent-upright faces, as shown in Figure 7.

In the illustrative form shown, the block 40 is somewhatwider thanthe block .4] but the width of the blocks may be varied, as wellas the width ,of the pocket .45 between saidblocks. jIfheupright walls 6a and "la areproyided along their .upperedges, as before, withaseries of registerw ing notches for supporting one or more sorting needles 2.5. In other respects, the s rting tray, is similar to the, form of tray ,shown in Figures '1 to ,5, inclusive.

The use and operation .of the device shown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, is as follows:

The movable blocks 15 are initially placed in their closedposition, as shown in Figure 1. The .cards to be sorted are thenplaced on top of the blocks and jogged intoalignmentagainst the bar l8 and-rear wall. [2 of ,the tray, as shown in Figure 1.

' A sorting needle ,is then insertedthrough a selected hole .ofallthecards. One of the movable blocks 15 in front ,of the .cardsis then pulled out beyond thecross bar 18, until itis in position shown in full lines in Figure 'B, or in dotted lines in Figure 5. The. ,pocket,formediby 'the withdrawal of this block permits .any cards brou ht over it, which. are notched ,attheMholeflthrough which the needle was passed, to drop, to thebottomof thetray. ,Thepocketis preierablyof less depth than the vertical heightofjthe cards, so that .the dropped cards'inter-leave with thecards which remain suspended ,on the sorting. needle. This interleaving, together with the fact that the pocket is .compaltativelynarrow, maintains the dropped cards in their-original ordeliand i n approximatelyfvertical position. Ifafewcards only have dropped, the operator may grasp them and pull them out from the endof the tray opposite the removed block l5. 'Incase it is only desired to make reference to the cards, they may be pulled out sufiiciently to permit such reference and then restored to their original position in the tray.

If anygreat number of cards are dropped, then the removal is facilitated by returning the withdrawn block into its closed position. Theret-urn movement of this block forces any cards, which have dropped below their original position on the block, into the, extended'position shown at X in Figure 4, where they can be easilygripped and disposed of.

It often occurs in sorting cards that many cards, do not drop down as far as others due to crowding of the cards. By ordinary methods of sorting, this is a serious handicap to speedy and accurate work. It will be seen, from Figure 4, that the action of returning the block to its closed position-will carry-all the cards wit-hit, which ing a plurality of sliding blocks for supporting the have dropped even the short distance required to clear the sorting needle. This feature is particularly advantageous when the cards are made of thin stock or of poor quality paper, as such cards, due to their light weight and surface roughness, are disposed to cling to the adjoining cards and fail to drop far enough to be readily ,withdrawn Although thenumber .ofsliding' blocks I2 may vary, and some may be fixed, or entirely omitted,

it will be understood that it is often desirable to have at least two separate blocks, so that one -block 'can be used for a temporary support for certain..,ofthe cards, while the other block can ,beremoyed to ,forman open pocket, into which ,certa-inof-thecards may be dropped. By providing a plur ality of sliding blocks I2, such as the fou-rindicated in-the drawings, the operator can remove the blocks selectively as desired, depending upon the number pf cards to be sorted. In some cases, it is helpful to remove theblocks progres i e f m one de al t o her a the sorting proceeds, using 'one or ,rnore'of the .otherblocks for temporary, support of other cards, either before or after they .have been sorted, or-when certain of-the cards'are to be re sorted, with th sortingneedle or needlesin another position. Accordingly, the provision of aplurality of sliding blocks, as shown in the form of Figures 1 to '5, gives a Wide latitude 'for sorting operations.

,The modified form of sorting device, illustrated fragmentarily inFigure 6, ,operatesupon substantially the same principle as the sorting devices previouslydescribed, excepting that the cardsflll have a plurality of rows of sorting holes 3| and 32, which require a -corresponlding number of sorting apertures or slots 3 5 and 36 formed along the upper edge of the'side walls 33 and 34.

The use and operation oi-the modified form of sorting device shown inFi-gures 'l- -and81is, in the main, very similar to that of the form-shown in Figures 1' to 5, excepting "that,instea"d of having slidable blocks to form the card supporting plat- "form, the modified-form hasoneor-more fixed card supporting blocks 40 and 4 [With an open pocket 45 adjacent the blocks. *Thecards'can "be'sorted'by moving them laterally along the sorting needle over the'open pocket -45-so that the selected cards will drop into the latter.

It will be observed-that,-in both for ms shown inFigures 1 to 5 and? and 8, theblocks, whether sliding or fixed, provide, in effect, platform means which is stepped at different heights parallel with the upright walls-t0 permit certain cards todrop from a higher step toa lower step. Where sliding blocks are employed, the stepped arrangement results when one or more of the sliding blocks are removed from their card-supporting position beyond the crossbar l8, inwhich case i the bottom wall or base 8 forms the lowerstep for supporting the-cards. In the modified form shown in Figures '7 and 8, the blocks-Mland/or 4| form the upper-step,- and the bottom wall 8a in -th ='pocket 45-forms'the lowerstep for reception of cards that are dropped into said pocket.

Although I have shown and described'cer tain embodiments for the purpose described, it' will bemade without department from-the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the appended claim. i

I claim:

A card-sorting device comprising a base, a pail of spaced upright walls having a series of sorting needle apertures along the upper edges thereof, a horizontal cross member connecting said walls intermediate the top and bottom thereof for aligning the proximate ends of the cards to be sorted, and a plurality of blocks of uniform height slidably mounted in side-by-side relation on said base between and parallel to said side 1 walls, said blocks being arranged for selective withdrawal beneath said cross member to noncard-supporting position beyond the latter.

JOHN H. PAGE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Wardy Nov. 5, 1940 Connor et a1 Nov. 4, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France Dec. 5, 1914 (Addition to 445,437) France Feb. 10, 1941 Great Britain Dec. 17, 1946 

